Mean income.....

robtattoo

WKR
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
3,294
Location
Tullahoma, TN
I'm intrigued.
It's been brought up recently & I'd really paid attention.

Random new dude asks for advice on a rifle. Usually something sane, safe & normal like 'which sub $500 .30-06 should I buy?' And it seems like every single answer is some form of "buy a $3,000 seekins .300wm." ".338 cheytac's the future". "Just buy a 6.5 PRC custom-$5000-whatever & you're set for moose at 3 miles as long as you have a such-and-such 2 grand scope. Bergers only though...."

What the hell are you dudes earning that y'all's go to answer is generally "Throw 5 grand at it"???

From the answers in this forum, I'm guessing that 9/10 of you have more in one rifle than I do in ALL of mine. And my truck!

I've killed literally one elk. No moose. A metric shit-ton of deer & more than that in hogs. I've killed game from "get the f**k off me!!!" to 606yds (measured) and I've never yet owned a rifle, scope & amo combo that you couldn't buy for a grand.

Am I missing something??

I could literally get by, very comfortably, with any single rifle in my safe right now. None of them are magnums. My old Swede has accounted for over 100 southern deer (it shits the 6.5Manbun into a cocked hat, ballistically) my .358 win does everything my .308 does with a tad more 'whomp' & my .30-06 does the same thing, but 100yds further out.
Any single one if those fellas is more that capable MORE THAN CAPABLE of knocking any critter over at 300+ yds. Not one of them has cost me over a grand (hell, most are under $500 including the damn dies!)
When the hell did shooting shit become a snob game?!
 
Last edited:
Joined
Dec 14, 2018
Messages
696
Location
SE OK
This has crossed my mind as well.
Have a buddy that has 6 customs in the works now. I can’t do one. Well I guess if I sold every thing then maybe.



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Unkept

FNG
Joined
Dec 24, 2019
Messages
29
Location
MN
maybe people just like to brag about the expensive stuff they own. Helps them justify that purchase. and for someone not dealing with a normal budget, go for it hell I would. id like nothing more than a safe room full of customs but in my opinion people with more average modest set ups are not as likely to post repeatedly about what they have

I like the posts that say use what ya got get familiar with all the particulars of the rifle and scope practice and practice! (do that and you will defiantly learn what works and what dose not)
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
322
Location
New Mexico
At least I’m not the only one that thinks this! I wish I could afford for a custom rifle but for now my ole trusty 30-06 I paid $500(included the scope) for will have to do. It’s taken an elk at 435 yards so no need for anything more for me.
 

mxgsfmdpx

WKR
Joined
Oct 22, 2019
Messages
4,183
Location
Central Arizona
Income will vary based on where you live. Using that as a metric doesn’t work. Somebody who makes $100,000 per year in the Midwest is living a pretty nice life. Try to live on that salary in the Bay Area or New York City and you’ll find that it’s nowhere near enough income to own a home and support a family.

If somebody wants to spend more of their income on a nicer rifle, good for them. If somebody doesn’t, good for them too. Doesn’t bother me either way. Enjoy hunting and do your thing.
 

tdhanses

WKR
Joined
Sep 26, 2018
Messages
5,721
Personally it is silly to recommend all these expensive items to new or newer hunters if we want to retain participation. A custom rifle is not needed for 100% of hunting, sub $1k optics will get the job done and camo isn’t needed. Add in personal desires and different income levels and this gets blurred or forgotten.

That said today it’s never been a better time then it is now with the amazing options we have available. We can’t all drive a Ferrari but a Corvette is manageable if you work for it.
 

bitbckt

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 12, 2019
Messages
239
Location
Northern CA
How about those five figure guided hunts people drool all over? Nuts in my book, but totally reasonable to others.

People - myself very much included - are going to spend their money on what’s important to them. All a guy can hope is that it’s also within their means.

Comparing means won’t get you any answers.
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2019
Messages
322
Location
New Mexico
Income will vary based on where you live. Using that as a metric doesn’t work. Somebody who makes $100,000 per year in the Midwest is living a pretty nice life. Try to live on that salary in the Bay Area or New York City and you’ll find that it’s nowhere near enough income to own a home and support a family.

If somebody wants to spend more of their income on a nicer rifle, good for them. If somebody doesn’t, good for them too. Doesn’t bother me either way. Enjoy hunting and do your thing.
Or in southeast NM or west Texas. I feel like i make a good income till I remember how much rent is, due to influx of oilfield workers.
 

Ratbeetle

WKR
Joined
Jul 20, 2018
Messages
1,141
I make a good living...I'm also the sole income in our household so my wife can raise our daughter right now instead of strangers.

The front range ain't cheap...especially when supporting a family on one paycheck.

So my rifles aren't custom, my binos are vortex, my bow is 5 years old bought used and my hunting rig is pushing 20 years old. More power to the guys that can afford it.
 
Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
676
Sounds like the reason I canceled my subscription to Hot Rod magazine years ago. All the articles started something like this "Budget Engine Build - 350 SBC only $17,590"
"Budget" must not mean what I think it means
 
Joined
Aug 16, 2019
Messages
397
It is like most everything else in life...
The gap between 'needs' and 'wants' gets widened the more marketing you are exposed to and the more disposable income you have.
Are customs sweet? Absolutely. Do you need one to go hunting and be successful? Nope.
I'll likely never own a custom rifle, but I expect what I've been shooting for years to continue filling the freezer.
 

hodgeman

WKR
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
1,547
Location
Delta Junction, AK
I think a lot of it is because some folks are interested in shooting and some folks are interested in hunting and a number of them are interested in both.

If you're interested in both guns and hunting, you're more apt to drop serious coin on a rifle or suggest others do the same. I like rifles and I like to have a few really nice ones around to hunt with.To my son on the other hand...a gun is just a more expensive hammer. If it shoots straight he couldn't care less what it is.

We both kill stuff, so it really doesn't matter much at all.
 
Joined
Apr 9, 2012
Messages
1,848
Location
Fishhook, Alaska
You have to remember that dressing up weapons is something that has occurred across virtually all cultures for thousands of years. Indians painted bows and hammered tacks into their trade guns. The ancient cultures put silver pommels on their swords and engraved their bronze daggers.

I hunt with consumer grade stuff, but with the economy hot right not there is no reason to expect americans to act any different than humans have for recorded history.
 

curt514

FNG
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
88
Oooo shiny!!

Generally a person can be smart. People are idiots.

If someone sees, reads, or it told that something is the best then they think that is the only thing that will work for them also if they want to be the best. The entire industry of marketing is built on the principle.

I also have a safe full of



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